The goal of the Serling Award is to recognize modern media
professionals’ work that raises awareness of prejudice,
inequality and society’s changing social norms. The award was
presented by actor William Shatner, who appeared on two episodes of
Serling’s groundbreaking show “The Twilight
Zone,” and also starred in “Boston Legal.” The
event was emceed by Brian Herzlinger ’97, who credits
D’Elia with hiring him into his first industry position,
after the pair met at an Ithaca College event.

Bill D'Elia, David E. Kelley, William Shatner and Diane Gayeski
at the Serling Award ceremony. (Photo by Jake West for Ithaca
College)

D’Elia and Kelley worked together on groundbreaking shows
such as “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice” and
“Boston Legal.” Those shows were renowned for using
court cases to showcase controversial topics and social justice
issues. Several of the shows earned a Peabody Award, one of the
most prestigious awards in electronic media, given in honor of
“distinguished achievement and meritorious public
service.”

“The partnership between Bill D’Elia as a
producer/director and David E Kelley as a producer/writer has
yielded decades of prominent television shows such as ‘Ally
McBeal,’ ‘The Practice,’ ‘Harry’s
Law’ and others that have bravely addressed contemporary
issues of social justice, diversity and inclusion,” said
Diane Gayeski,
dean of the Roy H. Park
School of Communications.

D’Elia, who was the college’s
2017 commencement speaker, began directing television in 1991,
when he helmed several episodes of the Emmy-award winning show,
“Northern Exposure.” Over the course of his career,
he’s won two Television Academy Honors Awards, and earned
eight Emmy and four Golden Globe nominations. He was taught by
Serling while at Ithaca College.

“It doesn’t go without notice that the arc of my
career goes from Rod Serling to David Kelley, two guys that only
knew how to write stories that not just entertained, but provoked
thought,” said D’Elia.

Kelley, who was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in
2014, has won 10 Emmy awards, and is one of the few screenwriters
to have shows air on ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.

“We need more Rod Serlings,” said Kelley. “We
need more people who are willing to mine that terrain of humanity
and what it is to be human and to have to look yourself in the
mirror and examine your value judgments, and to sort of turn the
world upside down and explore what it means to be human.”

Ithaca College currently houses the Rod Serling Archives, a
comprehensive collection of his television scripts, film
screenplays, stage play scripts, films, unpublished works, awards
and other materials. The Park School has one of Serling’s
Emmys on display in its lobby.